Hydroxylamine and salts

Toxicology. Hydroxylamine and its salts are irritants of eyes, mucous membranes, and skin higher levels cause methemoglobinemia. 

Workers exposed to hydroxylamine sulfate for 1 day at unspecified air levels showed blood methemoglobinemia concentrations of 25%. Dusts and mists of hydroxylamine sulfate are irritants of the mucous membranes and eyes. Although details are lacking, repeated exposure to the sulfate is reported to have caused respiratory sensitization with asthmalike symptoms. 

Hydroxylamine hydrochloride is highly irritating to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes and has caused contact dermatitis in workers exposed for 2-60 days. Hydroxylamine itself is only moderately irritating to the skin. Hydroxylamine sulfate on the skin of rabbits was irritating at levels as low as a 10-mg dose. It is considered to be a potential skin sensitizer. 

Carcinogenicity of hydroxylamine and its salts has not been demonstrated. Several studies have shown a decreased incidence of spontaneous mammary tumors in mice exposed to the sulfate and hydrochloride. There was some indication of an increase in the incidence of spontaneous mammary tumors when the sulfate was administered to older animals whose mammary glands were already well developed. 

Results of genotoxic tests have been mixed. In general hydroxylamine and its salts have shown positive results in in vitro assays and negative results in in vivo mammalian assays.  

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Patent Process for Preparing N-Substituted Hydroxylamines and Salts... 

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